2025 Qatar Grand Prix:
a decisive turning point in the fight for the title
On the eve of the Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, the sport holds its breath. The Lusail weekend could indeed crown Lando Norris… or completely reignite the battle against Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. Not for several seasons has a title fight been this close, and the unique conditions of this Gulf circuit promise a finale as strategic as it is unpredictable.
Norris arrives in Qatar with a 24-point lead over his two pursuers. A comfortable margin on paper, yet misleading: with the Sprint format and the 58 points still available before the end of the season, nothing is decided. The Briton could be crowned as early as Sunday if he manages to score just two more points than Piastri and Verstappen over the whole weekend. A simple equation, made complex by internal tensions at McLaren and an increasingly uncertain sporting context.
Qatar is not a race like any other. The Lusail International Circuit is known for its abrasive asphalt and fast sequences that inflict extreme tyre wear. This year, the FIA even imposed a limit of 25 laps per tyre set, forcing all teams to make at least two pit stops during the race. A rule that opens the door to strategic mistakes, aggressive undercuts, and tyre management that may weigh more heavily than pure performance. In such conditions, a single missed stop or poor anticipation can be enough to decide a season.
Oscar Piastri, for his part, refuses to act as a mere lieutenant in service of Norris’ title bid. The Australian made it clear: he will fight for his own chances. A stance that puts McLaren under pressure at a moment when the team is trying to avoid any internal incident that could jeopardize a title that has eluded them for more than fifteen years. Verstappen, the third man in this three-way fight, is benefiting from McLaren’s recent chaos, particularly the team’s double disqualification in Las Vegas, which revived his hopes. The Dutchman knows his only viable scenario involves a perfect weekend (sprint and race) while counting on a misstep from his British rival.
Free practice has already set the tone for a difficult weekend to predict: significant instability in the rear ends, highly contrasting race simulations, and teams unsure about the best way to handle the mandatory pit stops. The drivers, meanwhile, are concerned about the consistency of the stewards’ decisions, some calling for more clarity in the application of on-track rules to avoid controversy at such a decisive moment in the championship.
Beyond the title fight, this Grand Prix also serves as a revealing event for teams already planning ahead for 2026. The recent announcement of Adrian Newey’s recruitment by Aston Martin has shaken the paddock and is a reminder that the final races of the season often host major strategic adjustments behind the scenes.
Whatever happens on Sunday night under the Lusail floodlights, Qatar 2025 will mark a turning point. It could be the coronation of Lando Norris, the first title of the modern McLaren era, or the resurgence of a rival determined to take the fight to the final showdown in Abu Dhabi. One thing is certain: this weekend may decide the world champion or fuel even further the flames of an already historic duel.